Having worked in a professional position for the last three years earning an okay wage, but with no security I have spent the past eighteen months wondering 'have I got a job, have I not got a job?' as the company went through a series of voluntary redundancies. I was repeatedly told 'don't worry, you'll be fine' by my line manager, while common sense and a bit of business knowledge (I have a degree in it!) told me this would not be the reality in a few months time when the courses I teach would be cut due to the lack of new students (despite being classed as an outstanding course with 100% pass rate)
The new term started and of course they could not find the hours to fill my fulltime contract, but refused to let me take voluntary redundancy although they changed their minds on this matter a couple of times!
I finally took the decision out of their incompetent hands a few weeks ago, fed up with the stress caused by the uncertainty and the ridiculous and unsuitable alternatives they put in front of me (sorry but no I am not grateful for the offer of working more hours and taking more responsibility for less money) and cut my contract to part-time on my own terms.
I have been working a fulltime job that has the habit of following me home, keeping me awake at night and still being there in the morning niggling at me while I try to wash it away under the jet of the shower only to be faced with yet another issue when I get into the office. All this for an okay wage that disappears within two and a half weeks of it arriving in my bank account. And no I do not have a luxurious lifestyle, I do not have a fetish for shoes or handbags or tiny crystal ornaments or anything else really, I have a fairly modest wardrobe with very carefully selected items, bought at discount where ever possible and having recently got married (on a budget of less than £2000, although the honeymoon was a little more) our social life is very limited while paying the credit cards off. Meals out are usually courtesy of a mystery shopping agency I complete assignments for.
So why am I working my butt off for a mediocre life? Surely there has to be a better way?
It is for this reason that my recent paycheck was slightly depleted (two weeks fulltime pay and two weeks parttime pay) So far I have to say the effect has not been huge, the two lodgers I live with in my 3/4 bedroom house absorbing the blow.
So to summarise the situation at this point in my search for the good life:
Employment: Partime 0.63 of a fulltime contract to be precise (work still follows me home, I'm marking exam papers tonight)
Lodgers: 2
Eating out: Twice a week more or less for free :-)
Hubby: 1 (5months of married bliss)
Dog: 1
Stepson: 1
However come January I will only be working two days a week - I'll let you know how the 'good life' feels when the demands of Christmas kick in.
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